Red-Tipped Roses
by Mikauzoran
Summary: Sometimes Aoko can't take being Aoko and Kaito can't bear being Kaito, so they switch to escape from their own problems. How will they negotiate their situation when their crush, Hakuba, finds out their secret?


Mikau: Hello! Thanks for taking a look at this. I did this "switch-fic" as an entry for the Poirot Café Forum's 5k Contest 48: Symbol. Confession: about ten years ago, my fanfiction idol Icka M Chif/mischif wrote a story called The Kings and Queen of Mayhem where Kaito and Aoko were both KID. I don't remember if they switched their civilian identities in that fic (I only read it once, and that was almost ten years ago), but the idea of Kaito and Aoko sharing an identity stuck with me, and now I'm finally writing something in that vein. I'm sure someone else read that fic and has already written something similar, but whatever. Here's my take on the idea. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: If I owned it, Kaito and Aoko would have a healthier relationship (or not: see below). As they stand in canon, I don't think Aoko could realistically ever trust Kaito again if she learned his secret. Look at the way he lies to her, breaks promises, uses her as an easy in for heists…since KID, the relationship has become seriously abusive (on top of Aoko's pre-existing physically abusive tendencies). They're both sweet babies, and I want better for them.

…

Red-Tipped Roses

"Give it back!" Hakuba growled savagely, thrusting out a shaking hand for the pocket watch that "Kaito" was dangling out the classroom window, three stories up from the pavement. "I swear, Kuroba…" He didn't need to complete the threat. Bodily harm was implied in every incensed syllable.

"Aoko" stood, slamming her palms on her desk and glaring at "Kaito". "Kaito, give it back. _Now_ ," she ordered. "That's not funny."

"Kaito" frowned but slowly retracted his arm. He pretended to fumble the watch, all the while keeping a firm grip on the chain, and Hakuba lurched forward to catch it. "Kaito" smirked in amusement and handed Hakuba back his watch.

Hakuba glared at "Kaito", his entire face awash with a red blush of fury. He returned to his seat, as did "Aoko" and eventually "Kaito", and the math lesson continued as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

…

After school, "Kaito" and "Aoko" met in the usual spot—what had been a broom closet at one time but had since fallen into disuse—in the far corridor on the third floor.

"What Kaito did today was mean," "Aoko" scolded as she began to take off her shirt.

"Kaito" averted his eyes in shame, sulking as he began to undo the buttons of his gakuran. "…Yeah," he muttered. "I didn't expect Hakuba to freak like that. I was just teasing. How was I supposed to know the watch was that important?"

"Aoko" gave "Kaito" a look of reproach. "Kaito has been paying attention, right? Aoko _knows_ he has. Aoko sees how Kaito looks at Hakuba-kun."

"Kaito" clicked his tongue and went on the defensive as the hair on the back of his neck started to rise. "I look at him the same way _you_ look at him."

"Aoko" smirked and taunted, "Aoko knows how _she_ looks at Hakuba-kun." She pulled her shirt over her head and shoved it at "Kaito". "Hurry up with those buttons. Aoko has to go home to make dinner for Otousan."

"Hold your horses," "Kaito" snorted, taking his time. "Speaking of which, you can fix things with Hakuba tomorrow at the heist. We both know KID's his real favorite anyway."

"Why does Aoko always have to fix what Kaito messes up?" she sighed, taking off her bra as well and trading it for the gakuran top. She politely looked away while "Kaito" donned the apparel.

"It's so cute how you're too embarrassed to look when I'm topless," "Kaito" teased. "You're such an innocent, Aoko."

"BaKaito," "Aoko" snapped, swatting halfheartedly at her childhood friend as her traitorous cheeks flushed.

"Only until you give me my clothes back," "Kaito" snickered.

"Aoko" shook her head, reaching up and undoing the pins keeping her wig in place. She was in the act of passing the Aoko wig to "Kaito" when the closet door opened, causing both teens to jump.

Hakuba Saguru stared, perplexed at twin Kaitos: one in a girl's uniform top and pants, the other wearing the boy's gakuran top and a skirt. Kaiko and Aoto shared a look of horror.

"We can explain," assured the one in the skirt, but then she—he?—turned to his/her twin and hissed, "Who am I?"

The one in pants shook his/her head, rolled his/her eyes, and affixed the wig to her head, decreeing, " _Aoko_ is Aoko. Kaito is _Kaito_."

Kaito breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay." He turned to Hakuba, and with his usual cocky air, crossed his arms, tilted his head, and snorted, "Do you mind? Let us finish getting dressed. I'm not Scottish; I can't walk around wearing a skirt. People will talk."

Kaito closed the door in Hakuba's face, and the detective was forced to wait until his classmates completed their transformations.

Not two minutes later, a definite Kaito and a definite Aoko emerged from the closet. On one hand, Saguru felt better now that the status quo had been restored. On the other, he couldn't help but freak out a little bit on the inside because, now that he had had time to consider it rationally, it had become pretty apparent that Kaito and Aoko had been switched for the entire day. And they had pulled it off so easily. The fact that Aoko too wore a wig to be "Aoko" over her much shorter natural hair, suggested that this wasn't a one-time occurrence.

Just how often had Saguru exchanged banter with Kuroba while she was really Aoko? How many times had he flirted with Aoko while he was really Kuroba?

"So," Kaito sighed, hands in pockets. "What the hell are you doing wandering down this corridor and peeking into abandoned broom closets?"

Saguru stared at Kaito, completely abashed. "So this is _my_ fault?"

"If the deerstalker fits." Kaito shrugged. "What? Did you get nosy and follow us or something? We've been using this closet for _years_ , and no one ever comes down here. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Saguru had enough grace to blush. "I…was curious as to where you and Aoko-san went some days after school. I noticed some time ago that you don't always head home but occasionally go somewhere else in the school building before leaving. Today I decided to follow you."

"What did Hakuba-kun think Aoko and Kaito were doing in the broom closet that made him open the door on them?" Aoko wondered, raising an eyebrow in a way that suggested she believed his motives to be perverse.

Kaito was far more explicit with his suspicions. "Did you think you'd catch us making out? I should have pegged you for a voyeur."

Aoko swatted Kaito on the arm.

"He's the pervert, not me," Kaito grumbled.

"I didn't—!" Saguru choked. "I didn't know it was a closet. I thought it was a classroom! And I didn't open the door expecting to find—Holmes always cautioned about hypothesizing before gathering sufficient facts—I was just as surprised as you two!"

Aoko rolled her eyes and shook her head, turning to walk away. "We can talk more about this at Aoko's house. Aoko has to get home to make dinner."

"You can have your Baaya give us a lift." Kaito volunteered on Hakuba's behalf, giving the blonde a solid smack on the back.

Saguru didn't protest. He was eager for an explanation and, frankly, surprised that one seemed forthcoming. He wasn't about to argue.

…

The ride over to the Nakamoris' seemed to drag on incessantly in the awkward silence of Baaya's car, but they did eventually arrive.

Kaito and Aoko thanked Baaya politely for the lift and then started towards the house while Saguru hung back to let Baaya know he'd make his own way home.

"Tadaima," Aoko and Kaito sang out in unison as they crossed the threshold, and each pulled out his or her own pair of house scuffs.

Kaito was kind enough to set out a guest pair for Saguru.

"Ojamashimasu," Saguru muttered softly, hoping Kuroba hadn't slipped anything extra into the shoes.

Once his fears proved unfounded, Saguru turned his energy to taking in the entranceway of the Nakamori home. He hadn't had the chance to visit many Japanese houses outside of cases, and those occasions had never afforded the opportunity to really take in the little details of a Japanese home.

"We can talk in the kitchen. Otousan won't be home for another hour or so, so we shouldn't be disturbed," Aoko informed, leading the way.

Once they arrived in the kitchen at the back of the house, Aoko indicated the table where Saguru ascertained he was supposed to take a seat.

Kaito went to one of the cabinets and set about making tea for the three of them while Aoko headed for the refrigerator to pull out that night's dinner's ingredients.

"May I assist in any way?" Saguru offered after Kaito had deposited Saguru's tea on the table and then set about chopping vegetables for what looked like curry.

"Guests don't help," Aoko insisted, still with her back to him.

Awkward silence seemed to be the rule of the day, so Saguru sipped at his tea and pretended that he wasn't unnerved.

Thankfully and surprisingly, Aoko broke the stalemate, turning to Kaito and scolding, "Kaito should apologize to Hakuba-kun for what he did today."

Kaito frowned at first, but recognition quickly swept across his face. "Right. I almost forgot." He turned to Saguru with a hangdog expression. "Your watch. I'm really sorry that I was so careless with it today. I just meant it as a harmless prank, but I obviously went too far. I didn't realize it was that important to you, so…sorry, Hakuba. I won't mess with the watch again."

Saguru took a minute to answer. He wasn't quite sure he was ready to forgive Kaito yet, but…the magician really did seem sincere.

Saguru nodded. "All right. So long as you keep your word and leave it be in the future. It was my grandfather's. He's passed now, but he was very important to me—always supportive of my interests, always going out of his way to let me know I was a part of the family, even when my cousins teased me about being a foreigner. It's a precious memento of him, so…" Saguru suddenly stopped as realization dawned upon him.

"But…Kuroba…you weren't the one who…" He looked perplexed at Aoko's back.

Kaito's head dipped inquisitorially to the side. "I wasn't the one who…what?"

Saguru shook his head. "Can we talk about how you two have seemingly been impersonating each other for years and no one has noticed?"

"Aoko and Kaito aren't impersonating each other," Aoko snorted. "Aoko _is_ Kaito."

"And _I'm_ Aoko," Kaito completed.

Saguru realized that he was gripping the teacup a little too hard and set it down. He looked back and forth between them before, blushing, asked, "Which one of you is biologically male?" He looked hard at Kaito. "Are you really Kuroba Kaito?"

Aoko stiffened.

Kaito burst into a melodic laugh. " _Wow_. That's a little personal, Detective. You wanna strip search me?"

Saguru began to sputter as Kaito approached the table, spinning a chair around and sitting in it backwards to face Saguru, pillowing his arms on the back of the chair and resting his chin lazily on top.

"O-Of course not!" Saguru managed to get out. "That's not what I meant!"

Kaito turned to Aoko and cackled. "Hey, Aoko. You were right. He _does_ want to get into my pants!"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it, Kuroba!" Saguru exclaimed pitifully, his voice coming out in a shrill squeak.

"What Kaito and Aoko mean is," Aoko broke into the squabble. "Kaito is Aoko and Aoko is Kaito half the time, so the person Hakuba-kun knows as 'Aoko' is just as much Kaito as she is Aoko. Aoko and Kaito don't impersonate each other."

"They're interchangeable," Kaito finished.

Saguru wanted to object, but a little voice in the back of his head told him to shut up because he had no idea what he was talking about. "How long has this been going on?" he asked instead.

Aoko and Kaito shrugged in tandem, but Kaito was the one who answered. "Since we were eight. When Oyaji was killed, sometimes it was too painful to be Kaito, so I'd be Aoko instead."

"And there are times when Aoko can't stand being Aoko, so she's Kaito," Aoko added softly, her tone holding a touch of melancholy.

Saguru nodded robotically. "I…see."

It was at this point that Saguru realized that there was no sane, _rational_ explanation and that he was completely out of his depth. He was going to go home and do some internet research on codependency until he could get to a library for further in-depth reading on the subject.

"No," Aoko sighed. "Hakuba-kun doesn't."

Saguru didn't dare try to contradict her, and there was an awkward silence. Saguru stared down at his teacup. If he had been looking up, he would have noticed that Kaito was gazing at him with something like sympathy.

"You were wrong, you know." Kaito got up, going over to the counter and beginning to break up the blocks of curry mix. "People _have_ noticed. Some of our classmates, the ones that have known us for a while…not that anyone talks about it. There's Keiko, of course. I think Konno-sensei figured it out too, though she hasn't said anything about it to our parents…that they've mentioned, anyway."

"Aoko thinks Otousan would bring it up, if he knew," Aoko sighed.

"Yeah. My mom would probably tease me about it," Kaito shook his head and then scratched at his brow with the back of his hand to avoid getting the curry mix on his face.

Kaito looked back over his shoulder and smiled at Hakuba. "And now there's you."

"I'm…honored." Saguru decided that "honored" was probably the safest bet. "I'm sorry. I'm not quite sure what to say…or even what exactly I came here to find out. I just…"

"…am too curious for your own good?" Kaito snorted.

Saguru blushed.

"Hakuba-kun wants to know why and how," Aoko supplied, still refusing to face him, using cooking dinner as a convenient excuse. She stirred the vegetables rhythmically. "Because Aoko and Kaito had nowhere else to escape when they were little."

"As for how, all it takes is a little makeup, the right costume pieces and props," Kaito continued. "Our hair is the same color and texture. We have similar heights and builds. I'm slight with feminine features while Aoko's sturdy without too much definition as far as curves go. Ordinarily we could pass for siblings. It's not too much work to do a little touching up here and there."

"I see," Saguru repeated, but still he felt like he was missing the bigger picture. It was like trying to put together a puzzle without knowing what image you were supposed to be forming.

"Well." Saguru stood, ready to put an end to the awkward situation he'd put them all in. "I should be going. I've been far too much of an imposition already."

"Stay for dinner." Kaito rolled his eyes, waving Saguru back into his chair.

The muscles lining Aoko's back, neck, and shoulders visibly tensed.

"No. Thank you, but I think I had better go." Saguru gracefully bowed himself out, taking the unspoken hint. "Thank you for your hospitality. I can see myself out."

"Stay for dinner," Aoko insisted in a dry, level tone, and it was understood that she would not countenance a refusal.

Slowly, Saguru retook his seat in a wordless admission of defeat. He supposed that this was his punishment for discovering their secret.

Kaito's brow furrowed, and he went over to rest his chin on Aoko's shoulder. He turned so that Saguru wouldn't be able to read his lips and whispered, "You doing okay? Do you need to be Kaito for a while?"

Aoko shook her head with a weary but grateful smile.

Luckily for Saguru, Nakamori-keibu arrived home a good half hour earlier than anticipated, and Saguru was able to make polite conversation with the Inspector while Kaito and Aoko finished up the curry.

When dinner was just about ready, Kaito got out the plates and started scooping rice from the rice cooker. The first two plates got two scoops while a third got three.

Kaito turned and looked expectantly at Hakuba. "How many scoops of rice?"

Saguru blushed at the surreal feeling of being served dinner by his two most troublesome classmates. "Just two, please. Thank you." He felt equally out of his comfort zone when Aoko started ladling out the curry and asked him how much he wanted.

Kaito carried the plates over to the table with the expertise of a seasoned French waiter while Aoko refilled everyone's tea.

The meal continued in the vein of intolerably awkward, and Saguru prayed to a whole pantheon of gods he didn't believe in on the off chance that one might send him a valid reason to leave. He considered trying to text Baaya to call him under the table, but Kuroba, sitting right next to him, was sure to notice.

"Something wrong, Aoko?" Nakamori raised an eyebrow at his oddly quite daughter whose gaze had been glued to her plate for the entirety of the meal.

Kaito nudged Nakamori's leg with his foot under the table and shook his head. " _Cramps_ ," he whispered sotto voce, ensuring that Aoko's sullen behavior would get a free pass.

Aoko peeked up just enough to pretend to glare at her childhood friend.

Thankfully, the meal did eventually end even though no kind deity had seen fit to cut it short for Saguru.

Kaito took the plates to the sink and rinsed them, setting them aside to be washed.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Saguru offered once more, secretly hoping he'd be turned down a second time, so as to be able to leave all the sooner.

"I do the dishes, since the kids cook," Inspector Nakamori informed, and, with that, Saguru was finally free to thank them once more and flee as fast as he could without seeming impolite.

Unfortunately, Kaito was right behind him out the door, extending the reach of the uncomfortable miasma that had been hanging over the Nakamori household.

"I'll give you a ride," Kaito not so much offered as informed Saguru.

Still, the detective put up a pretense of declining. Two minutes later he found himself on the back of a motorcycle, trying not to think too hard about holding onto Kaito's waist.

The ride home was mostly uneventful, though Kaito took an inefficient route that took longer than necessary, and, at two points, Kaito nearly doubled the speed limit on purpose to get Saguru to tighten his hold on Kaito's torso.

The magician cackled maniacally.

Saguru pinched him.

Worn out, Saguru finally made it home at close to ten at night.

Kaito pulled up to the gate and took off his helmet, grinning like a fiend. "Have fun?" Even his eyes were chuckling.

Saguru's sourpuss glare softened. "It wasn't the worst mode of transportation I've ever experienced. Thank you for the ride, Kuroba. Good night." With a formal bow, Saguru turned and took two steps towards the gate.

In the middle of his third, he looked back at Kaito and tentatively asked, "Kuroba…is Aoko-san terribly angry with me? I got the impression that I upset her greatly, and I was wondering…" He pursed his lips. "Is there anything you suggest for winning her forgiveness?"

A look of faint surprise overtook Kaito's giddy expression. "She's not mad at _you_ ," he explained.

Saguru frowned. "But she is mad?"

"She's upset because she thinks you think we're freaks," Kaito replied bluntly.

Saguru's eyes widened. After a few false starts he managed, "I may not understand, and, yes, it's highly unusual and not healthy, but…" Saguru tried to make an illustrative gesture to carry his meaning where words had failed, but he only succeeded in making his hands look like dying birds.

"You think we're freaks," Kaito sighed, his chipper, mischievous mask melting away now that Aoko was no longer there needing him to keep it together.

"No." Saguru's denial was not convincing, but he was well-bred enough to look ashamed for it. "Not 'freaks'. Nothing so meanspirited as that. Just…but I'm not looking down on you. I…" He trailed off, and his eyes sheepishly entreated Kaito for a way out.

Kaito sighed, beginning to look tired. "I can't tell you Aoko's side of the story, but I can help you to understand mine, alright?" He took a deep breath. "My dad is dead. He's not just too busy with work or on another continent, okay? My mom is like me. She doesn't really deal with things; she escapes. After Oyaji died, she escaped without me. She comes back from time to time, but I never know how long she'll stay. She pops in and out of my life, no stability. Mostly she's in LA, but I couldn't even begin to tell you where she is right now. If I was bleeding out in an alley or something and had to get ahold of my mom, I'm not so sure I could. With me so far?"

Saguru tentatively nodded, transfixed and slightly intimidated by the intensity of Kaito's expression.

"Great. Now, I'm sure you can relate somewhat what with your own family situation, but keep in mind that I had no Baaya. Sure, Nakamori-jisan kept an eye on me, made sure I ate, went to school, bathed and all that, but he wasn't around too much either." Kaito shrugged. "You see how things are now, how he's at work all the time. He was better than nothing, but when you're eight and everyone's just walked out on you, better than nothing doesn't really cut it. Can you see why I didn't want to be me? Sure, Aoko's mom skipped out on her too, and her dad wasn't really around, but at least he wasn't dead. You'll have to ask Aoko why she'd pick being Kaito over Aoko, but that should at least give you some background to understand why we're so messed up. Aoko and I raised ourselves, and this is what we ended up with. I guess you survive however you can."

With another shrug, Kaito started to put on his helmet.

"Wait." Saguru reached out but was reluctant to actually touch Kuroba. "I'm sorry. I wish I could put the worms back in the can, but that's obviously impossible. I owe you my thanks for speaking so frankly with me just now about painful, personal things. If it's not too much to ask in addition, is there any way I can make things up to you two?"

"For a lifetime of injustice or for making us feel like freaks?" Kaito snickered darkly.

Saguru looked down to the pavement. "…The latter."

"Aoko's upset _because she likes you_ and she thinks you think we're freaks," Kaito exacerbated the problem without supplying possible solutions. "Do _you_ like Aoko?"

Saguru licked his lips nervously, taking a steadying breath before meeting Kaito's eyes and answering, "Yes, but not exclusively. Do _you_ like Aoko-san, Kuroba?"

Kaito's brow crinkled. "Yes, but not like that. Not in any kind of normal way. I _am_ Aoko. We're a set." Kaito's frown deepened. "What do you mean 'not exclusively'?"

Saguru struggled not to lose his nerve. He forced himself to maintain eye contact. "I mean that I liked her more when I found out she was you."

Kaito's eyes widened.

That was the extent of Saguru's courage. Before Kaito could get over the initial shock, Saguru turned on his heel and retreated, tossing a "Goodnight, Kuroba" back over his shoulder.

"Oi!" Kaito called after him. "Wait!"

Saguru didn't.

…

The next day at school, Saguru snuck in at the last possible second, assuming he would at least be safe from the consequences of his actions until lunch. When the lunch bell did chime, Saguru shot out of his seat and sped toward the door.

"Hold it!" "Aoko" shouted, throwing a mop like a javelin.

It startled him more than anything and impeded his escape enough to give her time to dash across the room.

"Aoko" corned him, pinning Saguru up against the door and grinning like a hungry tiger as she leaned in and stole a deceptively sweet kiss. Her lips lingered over Saguru's, but, eventually, she languidly pulled back and smiled. Her half-lidded eyes gazed, satiated, into Saguru's own mesmerized stare.

"That was a confession," "Aoko" whispered as if she were sharing a secret.

"On behalf of whom?" Saguru wondered, heart fluttering in his ears.

"Aoko" stepped back and shrugged facetiously.

"Oi! Aoko!" "Kaito" squawked from the other side of the classroom as soon as he had recovered from the scene.

"What?" "Aoko" taunted. "Is BaKaito jealous?"

"Kaito" bristled. "You wish, you flat-chested Ahoko!"

He flipped her skirt, and the usual mop chase sequence began.

Saguru slunk off to consider recent developments, only coming back just as the end of lunch bell sounded.

…

The school day came to a close, and Saguru looked up to find "Kaito" looming awkwardly over Saguru's desk, a sullen expression still on his face. He set down a folded note and hurried off before Saguru could get a word in.

"Aoko" followed after her childhood friend looking concerned.

"Can we talk? Meet up on the roof," read the note, so Saguru went.

…

"Look, I know we must seem like total freaks of nature," "Kaito" started the instant Saguru opened the door. "But you have no right to judge us. You have no idea what Aoko and I have been through, and it's a miracle we've made it this far in as good of shape as we're in. It's not our fault we're screwed up."

Saguru opened his mouth to clear up the misunderstanding while "Kaito" paused to take a breath, but "Kaito" was too quick. He was off again before Saguru could get in even a syllable.

"And another thing, what Aoko did earlier, she didn't mean it. She wasn't being serious. It isn't like she likes you or anything, so you should just forget about what happened today," "Kaito" petulantly lectured.

Saguru saw it for what it was, though: posturing. "Kaito" was afraid of being rejected, of having his precariously balanced world toppled.

"Aoko did too mean it," the woman herself retorted from where she had come up the stairs behind Saguru.

Saguru stepped aside to let her through to confront her other half.

"Now that Aoko and Kaito's secret is exposed, Aoko has decided to be honest with Hakuba-kun about her feelings. Aoko's tired of keeping things hidden. Isn't Kaito?" "Aoko" insisted, hands on her hips as she stared down "Kaito" expectantly.

"Kaito's" posture stiffened. He looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"If I may," Saguru hesitantly interrupted. "Kuroba, I fear there's been a misunderstanding. I've never come across people like you and Aoko-san, and you two slip so seamlessly back and forth that I had never suspected anything of the kind. Yesterday, I was taken aback and not really sure what to do with this new perspective. I'm afraid you took my shock as a rejection, and I'm very much sorry for that."

Saguru reached into his school bag and pulled out a plastic box containing two yellow roses with red tips. He opened the box and handed one of the roses to "Kaito". The second one he extended towards "Aoko".

The childhood friends wore twin expressions of pleasant surprise tinged with apprehension, as if they weren't quite sure if it would be wise to commit to being pleased.

"For both of us?" "Kaito" frowned, unwilling to trust.

Saguru nodded. "As you said last night, Kuroba, you two are a set. Isn't that right?"

"Kaito" pursed his lips.

"Aoko's" brow furrowed. "But…does Hakuba-kun know what yellow roses with red tips mean?"

Saguru could hear them both take a quick intake of breath before holding it in anticipation of his answer. He chuckled softly. "Friendship turning into love. Really, this makes things a lot easier for me. I've been going back and forth between the two of you for a few months now, unable to make a firm decision. I thought that as long as I kept wavering, I was in no position to speak about my feelings. If I understand the situation correctly, there's no need for me to choose as you are both Kuroba and both Aoko-san, correct?"

"Aoko" and "Kaito" slowly turned to share a look that conveyed more with a quirk of an eyebrow and a slight movement of the corner of the mouth than Saguru could with actual words. They nodded in unison.

"Then Hakuba-kun will be Aoko and Kaito's boyfriend?" "Aoko" sought explicit confirmation.

"If you'll both have me." Saguru grinned bashfully, the momentousness of what he was doing gradually sinking in.

"Yay!" "Aoko" cheered, pouncing on Saguru's arm and latching on.

"Kaito" was less effusive. He eyed Saguru wearily. "You're sure about this? This doesn't freak you out?"

"Kuroba, I am in no position to judge you," Saguru assured. "My life has been traumatic in its own ways, and I am well aware that I have developed coping behaviors that others consider odd. You've noticed the thing with the pocket watch, just to name one example, and I guarantee you'll pick up on nearly half a dozen more. The human mind often performs great feats of contortionism in order to protect itself; you two do what is necessary to survive. I imagine it will take some time for me to get used to, but I'm not opposed to working on getting used to it. Is that satisfactory?"

"Kaito" hesitated only a few seconds longer before shyly holding out his hand for Saguru to take.

Saguru smiled, taking "Kaito's" hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Yay!" "Aoko" reiterated. "Hakuba-kun's taking Kaito and Aoko to a cake buffet for their first date!"

"Am I?" Saguru looked deferentially to "Kaito".

"Kaito" smirked. "Yeah. And Ahoko's going to get fat."

"So is BaKaito." "Aoko" stuck out her tongue. "Don't make Aoko get out the mop."

"Oh dear," Saguru sighed to himself as the full implications of what he had signed himself up for started to dawn upon him one by one.

The End


End file.
